Pozole Rojo

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into chunks
• 1 pound dried guajillo chiles
• 4 dried ancho chiles
• 2 dried chipotle chiles
• 1 pound white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 white onion, halved
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 10 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Bring 10 cups of water to boil in a large pot. Add pork shoulder, half the onion, 4 garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Simmer for 90 minutes until pork is tender.
2. While pork cooks, remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles.
3. Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet for 2 minutes until fragrant. Soak in 3 cups of hot water for 15 minutes.
4. Blend the soaked chiles with soaking liquid, remaining 4 garlic cloves, oregano, and cumin until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the chile sauce for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Add chile sauce to the pork broth. Stir in hominy and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
8. Serve hot with lime wedges, sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, tostadas, and diced onion.

Notes

• Use a large 6-quart pot to accommodate all ingredients and prevent spillover.
• Prep chiles ahead of time by removing stems and seeds to save time during cooking.
• Strain the chile sauce to remove any tough skin for a smoother texture.
• Pozole can be made 1-2 days ahead and reheated; flavors actually improve with time.
• Store leftover pozole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• If you cannot find fresh hominy, canned white hominy works well and saves significant cooking time.